Woke up this morning to 3.2 volts on my battery.

[FastBlackRam]

What could drain my battery that low overnight? I opened the door and it was dark, no steps deployed. It was so dead. So I unlatched the tranny and let it roll out of the garage. I popped the hood and measured 3.2 volts with my multimeter. I tried to jump it with my car but it wouldn’t turn over. So I put on the charger and it started to take a charge immediately. After about 2 hours it had about 12v and I started it and drove it around 3 or 4 miles. The check engine light was on and the volts showed 13.6 to 13.8 fluctuating a lot around those values. I got home and put it back on the charger and it reached 100% on the charger gauge. I started it and drove it around 2 miles and now it showed 13.8 to 14.1. I disconnected the negative terminal and cleared the check engine light. I drove it to the grocery store and will check it in the morning. My voltmeter is showing about 12.6.

WTF? I swear I left nothing on, but I am over 60 so anything is possible.

I don’t think a parasitic drain would drain it so fast and so low. Anybody ever seen anything like this?

 

[wallyuwl]

Keep an eye on it and just be sure to have a charger handy. If it keeps dropping overnight there could be a fault of some kind keeping something on causing the drain.

 

[GATORB8]

Are you getting in the 14s with the alternator running?

Probably worth testing the battery to make sure it’s not bad.

 

[Vmeschino]

I experienced the same thing except my battery was completely drained this morning. When I attempted to start the dash did a crazy dance of flickering lights, the rpm and speeded meter guage did a strange countdown from top to bottom and the drive shift knob went dead with no lights but could be moved from park to drive. After a jump start, same as you with check engine etc. Ran the truck for a bit, then turned off and restarted. Check engine lights were gone. Truck seemed fine. A few hours later I walked by the truck and noticed that the center dash was still on with the message to place foot on break to start car! Nothing was on, none of the doors were open, and the key fob was in my office. I read other threads that this was a lingering issue with the dash lights remaining on and draining batteries and they tried replacing the BCM but these are related to older generoof this truck.

 

[Jako]

I experienced the same thing except my battery was completely drained this morning. When I attempted to start the dash did a crazy dance of flickering lights, the rpm and speeded meter guage did a strange countdown from top to bottom and the drive shift knob went dead with no lights but could be moved from park to drive. After a jump start, same as you with check engine etc. Ran the truck for a bit, then turned off and restarted. Check engine lights were gone. Truck seemed fine. A few hours later I walked by the truck and noticed that the center dash was still on with the message to place foot on break to start car! Nothing was on, none of the doors were open, and the key fob was in my office. I read other threads that this was a lingering issue with the dash lights remaining on and draining batteries and they tried replacing the BCM but these are related to older generoof this truck.

What year is the Ram and how old is the battery?

 

[silverWS6]

Battery is dead. I had pretty much the same issues. Went to the dealer, they tested the battery and said it was good. They said I probably left something on. I knew for a fact that I didn't.

Less than a week later, battery dies again. I left my charger on and it wasn't taking a charge but then it did. I turned the key to ACC and monitored the voltage, it was dropping by the second.

I bought a new battery from Auto Zone and everything has been fine.

For reference, my truck had 14k miles and was less than 2 years old when this happened.

 

[FastBlackRam]

First of all thanks for the responses. After charging it up yesterday and clearing the CEL, I did watch the dash and it turned off like you would expect. Soon after the follow me lights went out the power shut off. Went out to the truck this morning, and everything seemed normal. Today I drove it about 4 miles for an errand then a run to sams club about 10 miles round trip. All good. Battery seems strong.

The voltage on the dash, which I am monitoring for the moment ran 14.0 or 14.1 on the way to sams and 13.9 on the way home. Looks like my charging system is good.

I will continue to monitor. I will also take to auto parts store to check batt health. If necessary I will replace the battery but not from Ram.

Any recommendations on a good quality battery for our trucks?

 

[GATORB8]

First of all thanks for the responses. After charging it up yesterday and clearing the CEL, I did watch the dash and it turned off like you would expect. Soon after the follow me lights went out the power shut off. Went out to the truck this morning, and everything seemed normal. Today I drove it about 4 miles for an errand then a run to sams club about 10 miles round trip. All good. Battery seems strong.

The voltage on the dash, which I am monitoring for the moment ran 14.0 or 14.1 on the way to sams and 13.9 on the way home. Looks like my charging system is good.

I will continue to monitor. I will also take to auto parts store to check batt health. If necessary I will replace the battery but not from Ram.

Any recommendations on a good quality battery for our trucks?

The lead acid “Northern” in my boat is a beast, I’ve fully discharged probably 20 times and still takes a full charge.

Everyone preaches about optima, but my last one died like two weeks after the warranty was up.

I would do the lead acid with the best warranty you can find offered by a place with locations that are common in your area.

 

[Scap]

Also, make sure you're doing more than just short trips. Try to find an excuse to drive it for 30-60 minutes on the highway every couple weeks.

 

[Vmeschino]

What year is the Ram and how old is the battery?

2019, battery looks new and once you jump start and drive it holds 14v. I’m not sure if it’s original to the truck but I would expect given when I bought the truck it only had 10k miles on it. Had it a year and it has 18k now. Just dropped off at the dealership for them to diagnose. Dealer said they have not heard of this but I don’t believe them. Internet has all sorts of discussions related to the dash not turning off.

 

[Willwork4truck]

1 - aliens passing overhead sucking up all the 12v power...

2 - my dash charging voltage is 14.4-14.6 as I drive it. At rest after overnight the battery is always 12.1-12.3. Nothing left on and no fobs within 30'. I have trickle charged it weekly.

Batteries are strange in these new trucks, and OEM lead acid battery quality is suspect.

 

[GATORB8]

1 - aliens passing overhead sucking up all the 12v power...

2 - my dash charging voltage is 14.4-14.6 as I drive it. At rest after overnight the battery is always 12.1-12.3. Nothing left on and no fobs within 30'. I have trickle charged it weekly.

Batteries are strange in these new trucks, and OEM lead acid battery quality is suspect.

My vote is 1

 

[Scap]

1 - aliens passing overhead sucking up all the 12v power...

2 - my dash charging voltage is 14.4-14.6 as I drive it. At rest after overnight the battery is always 12.1-12.3. Nothing left on and no fobs within 30'. I have trickle charged it weekly.

Batteries are strange in these new trucks, and OEM lead acid battery quality is suspect.

Need to make this a poll....lol

 

[FastBlackRam]

1 - aliens passing overhead sucking up all the 12v power...

2 - my dash charging voltage is 14.4-14.6 as I drive it. At rest after overnight the battery is always 12.1-12.3. Nothing left on and no fobs within 30'. I have trickle charged it weekly.

Batteries are strange in these new trucks, and OEM lead acid battery quality is suspect.

How do you check the battery voltage? Mine shows the voltage when I start it if I leave it showing the voltage but it climbs so fast to the charging voltage that I can’t see what the resting voltage is.

 

[Scap]

How do you check the battery voltage? Mine shows the voltage when I start it if I leave it showing the voltage but it climbs so fast to the charging voltage that I can’t see what the resting voltage is.

Pop the hood and put a meter on the battery terminals.

 

[mmcbeat]

Did you drive a lot less than normal the past year? I did and had battery woes with my previous vehicle. It was a Wrangler with 3.6 V6 ESS. It had two batteries and I just wasn’t driving it enough to keep the batteries charged and healthy.
I took it in three times for service Before I was convinced it met factory specs.
While we are on the subject, could someone help me understand what an “intelligent battery sensor” does?

 

[wallyuwl]

First of all thanks for the responses. After charging it up yesterday and clearing the CEL, I did watch the dash and it turned off like you would expect. Soon after the follow me lights went out the power shut off. Went out to the truck this morning, and everything seemed normal. Today I drove it about 4 miles for an errand then a run to sams club about 10 miles round trip. All good. Battery seems strong.

The voltage on the dash, which I am monitoring for the moment ran 14.0 or 14.1 on the way to sams and 13.9 on the way home. Looks like my charging system is good.

I will continue to monitor. I will also take to auto parts store to check batt health. If necessary I will replace the battery but not from Ram.

Any recommendations on a good quality battery for our trucks?

Go ask your question on bobistheoilguy.com. It is a great site with a lot of guys who know about all kinds of cars.

The consensus seems to be East Penn/Deka makes the best batteries. I'm almost positive the Duracell batteries sold at Sams Club and Batteries Plus are made by East Penn. Get an AMG one of those and you should be set for at least a half dozen years. I put one of those in my mom's 2011 Rogue about two years ago and it has been perfect. Johnson Controls makes most popular brand names and they are OK but have mixed reviews. If still true, Interstate are junk and Exide are good but $$$$.

Northern Battery batteries, made in La Crosse, WI, are excellent. I think JC bough them out several years ago, but not totally sure. I've gotten 10 years out of their Ironsides marine batteries.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Did you drive a lot less than normal the past year? I did and had battery woes with my previous vehicle. It was a Wrangler with 3.6 V6 ESS. It had two batteries and I just wasn’t driving it enough to keep the batteries charged and healthy.
I took it in three times for service Before I was convinced it met factory specs.
While we are on the subject, could someone help me understand what an “intelligent battery sensor” does?

Its a battery management device which allows the “smart alternator” equipped vehicles (most vehicles made since about 2013 have some sort of battery management system) to uncouple the alternator thus reducing the drag from the serpentine belt and saving .1 of a gallon…

ends up just killing batteries vs saving fuel…. All EPA driven crap.

 

[Dusty1948]

Did you drive a lot less than normal the past year? I did and had battery woes with my previous vehicle. It was a Wrangler with 3.6 V6 ESS. It had two batteries and I just wasn’t driving it enough to keep the batteries charged and healthy.
I took it in three times for service Before I was convinced it met factory specs.
While we are on the subject, could someone help me understand what an “intelligent battery sensor” does?

The Intelligent Battery Sensor provides the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with immediate and historical calculated battery information so the PCM can control the charging system. It also provides calculated data to the Body Control Module (BCM) for operation of the load-shedding feature. The load shedding feature monitors the state of the electrical system and can shut down non-critical electrical items when the system determines there is not enough current to operate all electrical loads and maintain battery power. To determine the current flow in and out of the battery the IBS uses a low value shunt resistor to create a voltage drop that is read by an internal microcontroller. The actual "sensor" is that little device connected to the positive battery terminal that has a small two wire connector on it.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 050242 miles.

 

[Vmeschino]

2019, battery looks new and once you jump start and drive it holds 14v. I’m not sure if it’s original to the truck but I would expect given when I bought the truck it only had 10k miles on it. Had it a year and it has 18k now. Just dropped off at the dealership for them to diagnose. Dealer said they have not heard of this but I don’t believe them. Internet has all sorts of discussions related to the dash not turning off.

Follow up on my battery issue. Took it to the dealership and they found the battery dead the next morning as well. They ran all sorts of diagnostics to find that the right tail light (requires new assembly as I cracked the lenses backing the truck into the garage) was constantly sending a signal to the dash that the light was out. At least that was there best bet after 2 hours of trying to locate and identify any shorts in the system. Seems like a shot in the dark but won’t know if this is really the issue until I get the rear tail light which has been on back order for a couple of weeks. By the way dealer was going to charge $950 for the tail light assembly but found factory part on mopar web site for $620